Bryan Cranston: My childhood was tough

Bryan Cranston didn’t have the kind of childhood he would have “designed for himself”.

The Hollywood star’s mother struggled to feed the family after his father left home when he was a teenager. The actor’s poor upbringing shaped him to be the person he is today.

“There was a period where my mother fed us nothing but hot dogs and beans. Or big pots of soup that would stretch for weeks,” he told British GQ Magazine. “It’s not the childhood I would have designed for myself. But it’s the one that was destined for me.”

The 58-year-old actor took a parental role with his co-stars while filming his hit television drama, Breaking Bad. The father-of-one admits to being paternal force that helped shape the cast, which included Aaron Paul.

“I gratefully and fully accept that responsibility. It strengthens the family when you take the time to celebrate moments,” Bryan said. “And I just wouldn’t allow any bulls**t. Otherwise, the unit breaks down.”

Bryan also discussed his odd habit of not speaking on Mondays. He has decided to remain tight-lipped one day a week as part of a psychological study.

“It’s my silent day… it became a sociological experiment that I enjoy,” he added. “Because a lot of times, people talk unnecessarily. And if you’re busy talking, you’re not taking in the art, or the architecture, or the environment you’re in. Maybe you don’t see the flowers.”

Bryan will next be seen on the big screen in Godzilla, in which he plays a nuclear physicist in the classic reboot.